Plans to build a nursery in a former ambulance station have been refused for a second time over lack of parking.

Applicants Oakhurst Guardian Limited want to change the use of Serena Memorial Hall in Dartford, which is currently a meeting and community space, to a children's day nursery.

The firm already run The Croft Upper Abbey Wood in Woolwich Road and The Croft Bexleyheath in Upton Road.

The proposal to build their first site in Kent – which was submitted back in 2020 – outlined plans to build a two-storey extension, a detached building and change access to parking.

It wants to extend the building to create two new children's areas, one for a 0 to 24-month-olds and the other for 24 to 36-month-olds, as well as a kitchen, staff toilets, changing rooms, a pre-school, staff room, children's toilets, and a studio room.

The facility would accommodate up to 96 children at any one time with 20 full-time staff members.

At a Dartford council development control board meeting on October 13, the application was discussed and issues were raised over the lack of parking.

Only three parent drop-off/pick up spaces were proposed at the front of the site with access from Princes Road but there were no staff spaces allocated on site.

The decision report read: "The proposal is likely to generate the need for long-term parking for staff and short-term parking for drops and collections.

"It fails to provide adequate vehicle parking and servicing facilities on site."

It added this would lead to vehicles stopping or reversing onto the road which would put highway safety at risk and cause further congestion at busy times.

Although new access arrangements were discussed including a right turn filter onto Princes Road, councillors said this would "likely lead to driver confusion."

The report concluded: "Officers recommended that the application be refused due to concerns about highway safety, harm to amenity and likely harm to the health of a tree that was subject to a Tree Preservation Order.

"Members discussed the merits of the application. Whilst recognising the need for more nursery provision in the borough members had strong concerns about the lack of parking on site and about highways safety, noting in particular the concerns of the Highways Authority, and the safety of the children using the nursery.

"There was also concern about inadequate provision for bin storage on site."

The education firm originally applied for planning permission in 2019 but this was also refused over parking concerns.

Serena Memorial Hall was formally used by St John Ambulance as an ambulance station, meeting hall and education space.